Thanksgiving for deliverance from death- Psalm 116

This psalm was on my reading schedule this week, and it struck me hard that I have personally taken this heart, but I just pray I will more effectively communicate this on the street, and that is:

JESUS DID NOT COME TO EARTH TO MAKE BAD PEOPLE GOOD,

   HE CAME TO MAKE DEAD PEOPLE LIVE

As you sing this psalm in your heart, may you rejoice as the Lord does in the death of his saints because they will be in His presence in Heaven, and may you feel the fire within to desire that the Lord use you to reach the lost before their death leads to eternity without Him.

1 I love the LORD, because He has heard
         My voice and my supplications.
 ² Because He has inclined His ear to me,
         Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. 
         
 ³ The pains of death surrounded me,
         And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; 
         I found trouble and sorrow.
 ⁴ Then I called upon the name of the LORD:
         “O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul!” 
         
 ⁵ Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
         Yes, our God is merciful.
 ⁶ The LORD preserves the simple;
         I was brought low, and He saved me.
 ⁷ Return to your rest, O my soul,
         For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 
         
 ⁸ For You have delivered my soul from death,
         My eyes from tears, 
         And my feet from falling.
 ⁹ I will walk before the LORD
         In the land of the living.
 ¹⁰ I believed, therefore I spoke,
         “I am greatly afflicted.”
 ¹¹ I said in my haste,
         “All men are liars.” 
         
 ¹² What shall I render to the LORD
         For all His benefits toward me?
 ¹³ I will take up the cup of salvation,
         And call upon the name of the LORD.
 ¹⁴ I will pay my vows to the LORD
         Now in the presence of all His people. 
         
 ¹⁵ Precious in the sight of the LORD
         Is the death of His saints. 
         
 ¹⁶ O LORD, truly I am Your servant;
         I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; 
         You have loosed my bonds.
 ¹⁷ I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
         And will call upon the name of the LORD. 
         
 ¹⁸ I will pay my vows to the LORD
         Now in the presence of all His people,
 ¹⁹ In the courts of the LORD’s house,
         In the midst of you, O Jerusalem. 
         
         Praise the LORD!

Alvarado St- an overview- by Maxx

I thought it would be good to offer up an overview of one of the main locations the SWAT Team ministers to, as a way of letting visitors to the blog get a better feel of things. Now, I'm not a long-standing native to Monterey like most on the Team, I've lived here since June 2008, but I'll offer what I've observed.

Alvarado Street in Monterey is in many ways considered the historic center of the town. There are historic buildings surrounding the Street, and Alvarado itself has a long-standing history going back to the 19th century.

The Street is a small, one-way, two-lane road lined with retail shops, restaurants and coffee houses, bars and nightclubs, a couple of hotels, and a couple of theaters. The transit center is at the entrance to the Street, where the majority of Monterey's public buses link up. It is only a few blocks from other attractions like Fisherman's Wharf and the Monterey State Beach.

While it is well visited during the day, as a location it seems to get more business at night. You can't miss it at night, since there are always white lights in the trees that line the Street. On Tuesdays a long-standing Farmer's Market takes over the Street in the late afternoon until early evening. In the evening and night, there are several nightclub bars that feature live music which attracts a large number of people. Also, the two theaters bring crowds; a major motion picture theater offers more alternative titles, and there is a historic performance theater that showcases a variety of live acts and film festivals.

The bars and restaurants stay open until 2 a.m. on the weekends. That's when the Team is on the Street, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. until around midnight or so. I speak for myself only that this time works for me because of my schedule during the week, and also for my intense desire to reach those who have never heard the truth about the Law of God and the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.

There is an incredible mixture of people who walk the Street on these nights, due to the variety of attractions there. There is a substantial number of homeless people, the majority of them young adults, who hang out there. The rest of the crowds are all ages, either to come and eat, see a show, or as the younger crowd does, cruise the bars and clubs. The only other night life scenes in Monterey are the Del Monte Center shopping mall and the Cannery Row district; the shopping center is private property and Cannery Row gets very quiet earlier than Alvarado. There is also a very large police presence on the weekends, which is always reassuring.

As for the spiritual atmosphere of Alvarado, it is like anywhere else in the world, filled with people who are antagonistic about organized religion but yet are often concerned about where they are going when they die. The conversations we have there run the full spectrum; from encouragement by believers in Christ, to people who consider themselves Christian but aren't willing or able to discuss the tenets of their faith, to plenty of people who can get openly hostile to us exercising our First Amendment rights in a public location.

Overall, it is a wonderful location the Lord has for us there. For me, there is not a night that has gone by where I do not get to have a real conversation with someone about their eternal destiny, where I get to share the truth of God's Holy Law and the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ who was crucified, died, buried, and was risen from the dead to be the Savior to everyone who repents of their sins and trusts in Him for their eternal salvation. I speak to plenty more people, and hand out plenty of tracts, without that level of conversation, but I trust the Lord to work in the hearts of all who hear me proclaim Him. Not that I do anything by my power- this ministry is completely fueled by the grace of God, and to Him alone be all the glory!

And that makes all the difference to me.

Please pray---

---For those lost souls on Alvarado Street, that the Lord would convict them of their sins and give them the grace to trust Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

---For believers to join us there to participate in the Lord's work, as a testimony to the presence of Christ in their lives and their obedience to His calling.

---For the Team to be united in Christ to the ministry He has given us, that we would surrender all to His grace, to be bold in love and truth, for the salvation or sanctification of every soul we meet.

Thanks for reading!

Hello Friends!

Since research shows that only 2% of all Christians share their faith on a regular basis, I am very concerned for this country and this world. Why do we just keep the hope and the forgiveness that Jesus Christ has shown us, hidden inside of us? What a selfish thing to do!!! Who are we to not share what Jesus has done for us? What is the Church doing? What are followers of Christ thinking, while they know that their co-worker, father or mother, friend or even spouse would spend eternity in hell and suffering once they die? And even more I wonder what Jesus thinks about the Church right now.

As we know 10 out of 10 people die. 150,ooo people die every 24 hours. Most of them without knowing Christ.
We can no longer hide this hope and faith but must share it with a lost world that needs a chance of hope and a life in Jesus! If we do not show them, who will??? Jesus himself gives us this commandment, "Go ye in all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

For the longest time I was afraid of what people would think of me, when the truth is, that doesn't matter one bit. It matters what Jesus thinks of me. We are not trying to impress people, but to share the hope with others that Jesus gave us. We are not better then anyone else, just FORGIVEN! I can not and will not hide the hope of an everlasting life with Jesus from others, but I have a desire and obligation to share this with the rest of the world!

"Have you no desire for others to be saved, then you are not saved yourself, be sure of that."
Charles Spurgeon

"Let your light so shine..."

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  Matthew 5:16

Brothers and sisters of the SWAT Team, another weekend is before us!  Time to share the light and truth of Jesus on the streets.  Though I know the Lord has given us divine appointments throughout the week, I always get excited to participate in this ministry.

I recall last Saturday, especially when right around 11:30 all four of us on Alvarado St (me, Mitch, Dean, and George) all began strong conversations with four competely separate men who the Lord brought to us all within the space of a minute!  That was really awesome.  It truly is better to give than to receive.

It can be hard to talk with those who declare themselves Christians but then criticize us for the works the Lord is doing through us out there.  But be encouraged!  Ours is a mission of sanctification as well as salvation.  As iron sharpens iron, let the sparks fly!

God bless you all this weekend.  Let's share some posts on here in the coming week of what the Lord is doing in our lives, and how this ministry is being furthered, amen?

Your brother in Christ,

Maxx

Oh yeah, here's a link to a whacky video from one of my favorite bands, Newsboys, who recorded this single in the early 90s based on the Matthew verse, but it has remained one of their greatest hits up to the present, they play it in every concert they do.  The video is defintely 90s!

"Iron sharpens iron..."- From Maxx

Proverbs 27:17 may be a familiar verse to you, but I thought it a fitting one to dwell on for a bit, as I see this blog developing in the direction the Lord wills.

"Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."

This verse has meant different things to me at different times.  While I used to think of it as a call to fellowship in a general sense, I find it now to be much more specific than that, at least in my own walk.  Here are some of my thoughts, in bullet form, take them for what they are worth to you:

--Iron sharpening iron creates a lot of sparks and makes a real spectacle to watch.

--Iron sharpening iron makes a lot of noise.

--Iron sharpening iron makes a strong smell.

--Iron sharpening iron makes the one doing the sharpening sweat and exert himself.

--Iron sharpening iron changes both tools into something new.

--The Hebrew for "countenance" is "Paniym" (paw-neem').  It means face or presence.

So...some questions:

--How do I want my presence to be sharpened?

--How willing would I be to let a friend sharpen me, knowing that it can very likely make a lot of sparks, noise, smell, and possibly even sting in the process?

--Since my best friend first and foremost is Jesus Christ, how willing am I to let Him do that to me?

--How willing am I to sharpen the countenance of my friends?  Am I willing to do it in love, knowing that it could be received with pain?

That's a small list of thoughts that come to mind.  I'm sure you could add or change them, and make the exercise even richer and more pleasing to the Lord!  Great!  Post a comment then, please.

Bottom line is that we all know that street evangelism is a sharp sword in the hands of the Lord.  We on the Team submit to the Lord's work through us in using that sword to reach the lost.  Among ourselves, I think this blog could very well be a sharpening tool, as well.  As we submit posts to encourage and convict and share our hearts with one another (and anyone else happening to read them), let us continue to do so in love and affection, being courageous enough to sharpen one another, knowing that the process creates sparks and might even be painful in some way.

God bless you this coming week.  I look forward to hitting the street again this weekend! 

WE NEED A PRESENT DAY REFORMATION IN OUR CHURCHES!- From Dean

After being part of the street ministry on Alvarado street for the past several years, I've heard many times from believers say, "I could never do what you guys and gals do down town." Or "It's not my gift etc..." Whenever I hear people say things like that I think, do you really believe the promises of our Lord and Savior. In Philippians 4:13 it says that I (we the believer) can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (us). I think that our fear of man has paralyzed us into unbelief in the promises of Jesus. In Jeremiah 1:5-6 God tells Jeremiah that He knew him before He formed him in the belly, and sanctified him in the womb, and ordained him as a prophet to the nations. Yet Jeremiah in verse 6 says "Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak for I am a child." 7 God tells him to not say that he is just a child, but go to all that I shall send you, and whatsoever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD. 

Just as God knew Jeremiah before the belly, He also knew us and gives us the same promises. He commands us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). Why then don't we believe His promise, that He'd be with us always. And not to fear man. Why do we still fear when God commands us not to fear? Why do we continue to be shaken with the things of this world? He tells us to be in the world, but not of the world. What I'm getting at is this, the gospel that is being taught in many of today's churches, is lukewarm at best. There's little or no conviction in the message as well as little accountability to our walk as Christians. 

Church discipline is almost non existent. We had a pastor stand in for our pastor this weekend and he taught on Revelation regarding the church of Philadelphia and the Laodicean church. At the end of his message he asked, what church are we? I thought to myself, we'd be vommitted out of his mouth. Now that may offend many, but if were being honest and examined ourself to the scriptures, we'd see that we were vomit and repent and get busy to the things of God. Jesus tells them in Rev. 3:19 "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." May we all learn from the scriptures the entire truth and stop settling for the watered down version of His Holy Word. I pray that GOD would raise up men today such as Luther and others to bring about a new present day Reformation. Now that would bring about true revival!

C.T. Studd (British Missionary who served in China, India and Africa between 1860-1931) said "We Christians too often substiture prayer for playing the game. Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for obedience, it is nothing but a blatant hypocrisy, a despicable Pharisaism... To your knees, man! And to your Bible! Decide at once! Don't hedge! Time flies! Cease your insults to God. Quit consulting flesh and blood. Stop your lame, lying, and cowardly excuses. ENLIST!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
Dean

Hear the call!- from Mitch

"Not called!" did you say? "Not heard the call," I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world."

--William Booth (April 10, 1829 - August 20, 1912) was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army and became its first General (1878-1912).